Just a couple of zeros between a million and a billion

People really don't understand money. I mean really don't understand it. You've got these inane discussions where people try to talk about "millionaires vs billionaires" as though they are kind of the same thing.

They talk about athletes needing to make a living, and getting a "fair" or "reasonable" contract that is in the millions; of course at $50,000 it would take 20 years to make just one million....there is no understanding of the value.

People can't balance a checkbook, or understand interest (much less compound vs simple), or manage to actually save for retirement.

And yet, along the way, they accepted comments from the Donald about his being wealthy and using debt service to finance his business, and blah, blah, blah. As though they understood it.

It just irritates me when people just accept large numbers and oversimplified explanations for financials. Please, learn and understand such concepts before you speak...

That's my pet peeve for today.

That fusion gps testimony

There's some wisdom that suggests when you're on an airplane and you experience turbulence, look to the flight attendants. If they are still smiling and serving drinks, there's nothing to worry about. If they return to their seats and look worried, then you should too. 

And so it goes with our government. When things go awry, look to them for clam stewardship. We absolutely had interference in our election from a foreign power. And the petulant child took office. 

The gop didn't bat an eye and doesn't care. The resistance was formed by everyday individuals, who shout from rooftops. That is, mostly activists, and not necessarily government officials. 

And in the meantime most of the dems - the people you might look to for that smile and service of drinks - do sound the alarm; but with the caveat that they do so when asking for a donation. So it's hard to know if they are serious. 

So you look for Obama or Biden to say something...and they rarely do. Those are the two people who might know best, and they are silent. Still smiling to the seated passengers. 

So have to cut through the crap a bit. A lot of noise from both sides. But mostly bluster - and pleas for money. 

Sens Warren and Harris have been a little more vocal and they have put away the drink cart. But they haven't taken their seat yet. 

So we watch.

And then Sen Feinstein releases the transcript of the fusion gps testimony. It's page turning stuff, though it's long. 

A couple of my takeaways: it corroborates what we know about Russian influence. It undermines trumps authority and credibility. It shows how deceitful and perhaps treasonous he likely is. It underscores that he is factually incorrect on many topics, and has lied under oath at times. 

And larger than that, it suggests that many in the gop are complicit in all of this because they accepted money from

Foreign powers as well. 

It's is worth a read. And now that we see the proverbial warning shot, we need (all of us!) to stand up. 

The flight attendants have taken their seats, but for now don't look worried. But that will change once we hit turbulence. 

https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/3/9/3974a291-ddbe-4525-9ed1-22bab43c05ae/934A3562824CACA7BB4D915E97709D2F.simpson-transcript-redacted.pdf

That’s not a man, that’s a zombie

Why copywriters matter.

Adage in media feuds

I think this is highly amusing. What a dotard.

From the land of stupid is as stupid does #GOPTaxScam

So the gop managed to mash through their law and was trying to hold it off until next year so the more unpopular parts wouldn't go into effect until after mid-terms.

But the dotard signed it anyway.

I guess in the scheme of things this was amusing and shows a bit of hubris on their part.

Its not much, but seeing as how our congress will not listen to the constituents (by the people, for the people, and of the people indeed!), at least we can see them choking on their own shit. And laugh at their ineptitude.

Dan Le Batard Went For Rob Manfred's Neck

This is all kinds of awesome. A commissioner takes one on the chin from a journalist.

It's cringe worthy and uncomfortable. But delightful.

Read about it here:
https://deadspin.com/dan-le-batard-went-for-rob-manfreds-neck-1821476659

Watch the whole thing here:

Word of the day: hubris

As I listened to members of the gop talk about their "oh so wonderful" tax bill, this word cane to mind. 

This definition from Wikipedia is especially salient:

Hubris (/ˈhjuːbrɪs/ from ancient Greek ὕβρις) describes a personality quality of extreme or foolish pride or dangerous overconfidence,^[1]often in combination with (or synonymous with) arrogance.^[2] In its ancient Greek context, it typically describes behavior that defies the norms of behavior or challenges the gods, and which in turn brings about the downfall, or nemesis, of the perpetrator of hubris.

We need to get over ourselves and do more. 

Short. Sweet. To the point. That's the beauty Dave's iPhone.